


Shore Leave

by sgteam14283



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, Shore Leave, Tenth Street Reds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-10-31 06:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17843894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgteam14283/pseuds/sgteam14283
Summary: Commander Shepard would like shore leave to not involve people shooting at her. Just once.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for vorchagirl's Romance Month over on Tumblr! One of the many prompts was 'shore leave' and I'd been playing around with the idea of what might of happened if my Ryder hadn't gone to Andromeda with her family so I decided to combine the two. Set during ME3 post-Citadel DLC. Don't own anything you recognize and enjoy!

Rose Shepard walked into Anderson’s apartment and rubbed her neck to ease the tension that was there ever since the Reaper War had started.

Shore leave had been few and far between since it all started and Rose above anyone else understood the need for just taking a break every now and then. So even though leave would be brief, only forty-eight hours, Rose knew that everyone on the Normandy would be enjoying it. 

Stifling a yawn, she made her way up the stairs and towards the spacious bedroom-feeling the pull of sore muscles as she moved. Reaching the top she heard the door open and knew that it was someone from the ship. She’d made it clear that they always had a place to stay as long as Anderson gave her use of his apartment.

“ _Everyone seemed to be having fun at Purgatory, I’m surprised they’re back already._ ” She thought with a faint smile while pushing off the black and red striped hoodie. Letting it fall to the floor, the rest of her outerwear quickly followed and Rose caught a glimpse of the still healing bruises on her shoulder from Maena.

The sounds of a biotiball game faintly reached her ears and Rose was tempted to go watch, but right now the need for a nap was greater. “ _Ten minutes._ ” she thought while climbing into bed and closing her eyes. " _Then I'll go down and watch the game._ "

Rose stretched and sat up, feeling better from the capnap. Running a hand through her hair while yawning she looked at the clock and it took a moment for her still sleeping brain to realize that it had actually been an hour. 

Feeling slightly guilty for sleeping longer than she’d planned too, Rose quickly got dressed and made her way downstairs-where the biotiball game was at halftime and Vega, Kaidan, and Cortez were standing up from couch. “Who’s playing?” she asked while going for Kaidan, giving him a smile before taking his beer and emptying it.

“Seattle Sorcerers and Thessia Thrashers.” Kaidan said while pretending to be offended at Rose finishing his drink. “It’s just another exhibition game though.”

“And you didn’t wake me?” Rose gave a mock frown but knew it was because they thought she needed the rest. Just like how she knew they were surreptitiously making sure she did something other than stare at the war table, trying to figure a way to survive this mess, and go on missions.

“After meeting with the council we figured you needed a break.” Kaidan continued as he took the now-empty bottle from Rose’s hands and walked towards the kitchen to get another one and some snacks. 

Rose followed Kaidan as Vega and Steve started debating who had the best defense so far. Leaning against the marbled countertop, she watched as he busied himself around the area. “Thanks. For letting me sleep that is.”

“No problem. Gotta make sure you’re ready for our date tonight.” Kaidan said as he set the bottles on the counter and looked at Rose. “Unless you want to stay in.”

“Hmmm.” Rose leaned forwards to give Kaidan a soft kiss. “I would love to but since they reopened the sushi place I’m ready to actually eat there.”

“And not get shot at?” Kaidan asked as he shifted closer and ran a hand along her shoulder.

“Especially that.” Rose smiled but it quickly turned to a frown as her omni-tool vibrated. She'd set it to only alert her for important messages so whatever it was must be life-or-death. Twisting so her back was against the counter she opened it and quickly scanning the message only made her frown deepen.

“Rain check?” Kaidan asked while brushing back her hair with a hand and placing a kiss where her neck met her shoulders.

“No. I...just need to meet someone for a few minutes. I’ll be back in plenty of time.” Rose said, pushing off the counter and flashing Kaidan a quick smile before leaving the apartment.

\--  
The Silversun Strip was bustling with Alliance soldiers on shore leave, Presidium residents out for a night of quick cheap fun, or refugee’s just trying to forget about the death and destruction they had seen while fleeing their homeworlds. But the bustle and noise was good cover for those who didn’t want to be noticed.

Sticking her hands in her N7 jacket, Rose wound her way through the crowds and towards the Arcade-wondering why Alec Ryder’s kid would message her out of the blue. 

“Commander.”

Rose tensed at the voice and turned to see a woman in her mid twenties sitting on the railing in a worn maroon and blue synthleather jacket over a tight shirt and worn jeans-her reddish brown hair styled to look artfully messy. Suddenly thrown to her own time with the Reds, Rose wondered how she had gotten off Earth. “Ryder, I’m assuming.” 

“Anna.” Anna Ryder replied while hopping onto the ground and tipped her head towards the door of the arena. “Thanks for meeting me.”

“Last I heard Alec joined the Andromeda Initiative. I assumed that he’d get the rest of his family on board as well.” Rose replied once they were properly in the Armax Arena and the sounds of the sim going on as well as the crowd covered their voices. 

“There were some people I wasn’t willing to leave behind.” Anna replied as her eyes roamed over the room, more out of habit than anything. “Besides Alec was more focused on his illegal AI to pay attention to his kids.”

“I’m only here for another day so what’s the problem? Your message said it was important.” Rose skipped over the remark, knowing from the handful of missions she’d been on with Alec there’d been tension between him and his kids.

“I need out. Of the Reds that is.” Anna leaned against the railing, watching as one of the fighters took out a sim trooper and the crowd let out a cheer. “And as far as I know you’re the only person who’s done that and still living. So I figured...what the hell. Maybe the great Commander Shepard would give me a hand. Besides, Alec always seemed to think highly of you.”

“Someone setting you up?”

“Something like that. Your crackdown has made it harder for us to do business in the refugee camps and a few deals went bad. My sparkling personality hasn’t made me many friends so I’m the easiest to scapegoat.”

Rose knew that Anna was referring to the initiative she helped put into place with C-Sec once refugees started arriving at the Citadel; so gangs like the Blue Suns couldn’t take advantage of those already down on their luck. And to hopefully curtail Red Sand distribution in such a crowded place.

“Do you want to leave or is it because you’re being set up?”

“Does it matter?”

“To me it does.”

Anna was silent for a moment before answering, “Because I want to. Turns out Alec was right in that this wasn’t who I really was. If this whole war goes bell end I want to know that I didn’t die chained to some xenophobic gang who thought pushing Red Sand on refugee’s was more important than fighting back. Getting set up was apparently the push I needed.”

Turning to face the simulation in the hopes of making it look like she was watching the fight Rose asked, “Anyone follow you here?”

“No. Well, not that I saw.” 

The giant screen flashed and Rose caught a glimpse of a fresh scar running from the base of Anna’s jaw to her ear. Shepard also noticed for the first time the shadows under Ryder’s eyes and how her jacket seemed to be just on the wrong side of loose. Likely there was more to the story, but Ryder wasn’t ready to offer it just yet. Then her omni-tool vibrated and she saw that Kaidan was wondering where she was. 

Making a decision with the information she had, Rose asked, “You have a safe place to stay tonight?” 

“I-No.”

Rose took a breath before slowly letting it out while nodding her head. “Okay, I’ll help. But only if you’re completely honest with me. You tell me who’s running your gang and why the hell you’re on the Citadel. You can come back to my place and stay the night. We’ll figure things out tomorrow.”

Ryder hadn’t realized that she’d been holding her breath until she let it out in a rush. Gripping the edge of the railing, she blinked back the rush of tears that threatened to escape. “Thanks.”

“Let's go.” Rose tipped her head towards the door while throwing an arm around Ryder’s shoulders in an effort to reassure the other woman that she was alright for the moment. “Maybe you can catch the rest of the biotiball game.” 

The two women walked out of the arena and towards Shepard’s apartment, checking to make sure they weren’t being followed. But in the crowds they didn’t notice the human’s watching the entrance and tailing them back to the apartment complex.

\--

“Explain to me why Ryder is at your place again?” Kaidan asked as they sat in the reopened Ryuusei's Sushi Bar and tried not to steal the other’s dim sum. To say that it had been a surprise when Rose returned with someone else in tow and announce that Alec Ryder’s oldest would be staying with them for the rest of shore leave would be an understatement. But he knew Shepard wouldn’t have done so without a reason and so he’d been silent. Until it was just the two of them that is.

“And why are you helping her?”

Rose took a bite of her soup dumpling and tried not to be frustrated at Kaidan. It had been an impulse, deciding to help Ryder and taking her back to the apartment, and for the most part everyone currently there had rolled with it. Vega had been the one to make the first move, herding Ryder towards the couch while handing her a beer and asking who she wanted to win the biotiball game. Cortez had just raised an eyebrow and moved over on the couch, while Joker had stared at her with narrowed eyes-wanting to know if she was related to _that_ Ryder. But a glare from Rose had him swallowing the question.

Kaidan had been a little harder to read, just folding his arms and letting the whole scene unfold-with Rose pulling Kaidan into the dining room and quickly explain the situation. He had just given her a nod and a look that said they’d discuss it over dinner.

He hadn’t seemed angry...just confused. Rose knew that it was another thing that she was putting on her plate but she’d nearly been in that situation, boxed in with no one to really turn to. Which was why after she took a sip of her wine said, “Because I’ve been there, Kaidan. I was lucky to realize my life with the Reds wasn’t going to end well if I kept going down that road.”

“And you put that life behind you. It looks like Ryder hasn’t.”

“But I can help. I’m sure a visit from Commander Shepard, former Red, will do a lot more than Ryder trying on her own. Especially if they’re trying to make her take the fall for something.”

Kaidan watched Rose talk and was struck, not for the first time, by how much she cared. Not because she was doing a favor for an old Alliance pal, but because she saw someone who really needed it. That’s what drew him to her in the first place, her compassion but also the fact that she never stopped fighting- even when the odds were stacked against her.

“-or maybe I can buy them off. I’ve done it before.” Rose stated while reaching for her near-empty glass of wine. Glancing at Kaidan after finishing it, she saw him staring at her like she was the view out of the starboard lounge on the Normandy. “What?”

“Just that I’m the luckiest guy in the Citadel right now.” Kaidan said while interlacing his fingers with hers. “That no matter what happens at the end of this...I-”

Rose never got to hear the rest of Kaidan’s sentence because that’s when gunfire followed by screaming sounded outside of the restaurant.

\--  
Anna watched as Vega bounced the cue ball off the side of the pool table and considered her shot. Lining herself up, she hit the ball and watched as it banked off the side and hit the striped ball into the pocket and lined another one up for a clear shot. 

“Aw, that’s cheating Ryder. No biotics allowed.” 

Anna straightened and shot Vega a smile. “Did you see a flare from me? That’s all skill, LT. Unless you want to put a wager on it.”

She wouldn’t admit it, but she’d been worried about getting judged on her name when walking into a room full of Alliance; but so far the only judgement she’d gotten was from Vega about her pool skills. Grateful for the lifeline Shepard had thrown her, Anna wondered how tomorrow was going to play out. If she was going to be able to walk away or if it was going to end with a bullet in her head. 

Vega opened his mouth to reply when he heard the door open and looked up. Kaidan walked in with his dress shirt torn and rumpled with Lola behind him, holding her shoes in one hand and a pistol in her other; her red hair mussed from the pinned back version she’d had on earlier.

Anna saw the retort die on Vega’s lips and turned to see the look of fury on Shepard’s face.

“Ryder.” Rose said as she fully stepped into the apartment and aware of the silence that surrounded the crew as they took in her appearance. “Change of plans, we’re going to deal with your _problem_ now. Vega suit up.” 

Anna just nodded and as she bounded up the stairs to grab her jacket she overheard Joker saying, “The sushi place _again_ , Commander? At this point they’re not going to let you back in. First Human Spectre or not.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard would like to salvage what's left of her shore leave.

It had been awhile since Shepard had been in Zakarian Ward. 

The area had almost been finished with the reconstruction from Sovereign when the Cerberus attack happened, so now the abandoned construction machinery and nearly-finished repairs mingled with the chaos the explosions and gunfire created. Hardly any shops were open and those that were looked like they hadn’t gotten a resupply in weeks. Signs were either partly missing or gone altogether, while the blown-out windows above the shops told Shepard that those that could had moved out.

Clearly the Council was prioritizing rebuilding efforts elsewhere. 

Rose could see how this would be the perfect place to run out of. C-Sec was busy with the influx of refugees and trying to keep up appearances in the Presidium to give some of the harder hit wards any thought. They were spread too thin to properly patrol and enforce. She knew what that was like; living in an area where the law enforcement was practically invisible and the strongest gang ran the block. Noticing the familiar graffiti that marked Red territory, she was grateful for the weight of her pistol and the heavy armor. 

“ _Here we go._ ” Anna thought as they rounded a corner and she saw the lookout. 

“You got some spine showing your face here, Ryder!” one of the lookouts shouted while pulling his pistol and aiming it at her.

“And you’re dumber than I thought if you believe what Sage told you.” Anna spit back before moving towards them in a blink of biotic blue.

Rose drew her pistol and heard Vega doing the same, but before they could even fire off a shot Anna warped towards the lookouts and pulled out her knife-plunging it into the man’s neck before he could let out a shout. As he fell to the floor Ryder moved towards the second, and equally surprised, lookout and repeated the action.

It took a second to process what had happened and when it did, Shepard moved to where Anna was cleaning her knife on the man’s shirt with Vega not that far behind. 

“You didn’t mention you were Alliance, Ryder.” Vega said, his voice carrying the surprise that Shepard knew she had as well. “That’s vanguard training. And pretty damn good at that.”

“That’s ‘cause I’m not. Well, not anymore.” Anna said as she picked up the man’s pistol and unclipped the heat sink from it, stuffing it into her jacket pocket before setting the pistol back down. She’d pick up a better one once they were actually inside. “But that’s a story best told after three rounds of drinks.”

“You sure know how to attract them Lola.” Vega muttered towards Rose as they took up position to go inside.

Rose just settled for a smile and a silent agreement. Since Anna had gotten to them quickly, the lookouts hadn’t been able to raise the alarm. Slipping through the door quietly, Rose signaled for Anna to take the lead; she knew the layout better than her or Vega. 

Seeing that everyone was either on a smuggling run or trying to hustle credits on the Silversun Strip, Anna put her knife away. Despite everything that had happened, she didn’t want Sage to get the wrong idea. “Sage!” she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls. “I know you’re here!” 

Rose wasn’t sure what Anna was up to, but decided to go along. She holstered her pistol and nodded for Vega to do the same, but kept a hand on it just in case. There was a pause after Anna called for the leader and then footsteps moved towards them. Lights flicked on and Sage appeared, surprise and amusement on his face.

“Really Ryder?” Sage asked while folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe. “You went to Commander Shepard for help?”

“It’s not like you were going to let me just walk away. I had to do something. Besides, you’re the one setting me up.” Anna shot back, itching to repeat what she did outside but knowing Sage was too smart for it.

“You decided to shoot up the outside of Ryuusei's on the Silversun Strip.” Rose said, moving towards the man. “I have to handle it now.”

“She went to you long before the sushi place. I can’t have people think that they can just leave when they suddenly decide to grow a conscious.”

“So offering a stack of credits is out of the question?” 

“The way the war’s going I won’t have time to spend what she’s worth.”

“Too bad then.” Rose said as she went for her pistol and fired off a shot. The shot went wide, Sage dodging it easily and everyone scrambled for cover. 

Anna spotted movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see a figure disappearing behind a pillar. “He’s not alone!” she called out while ducking as a shot sailed over her head. 

“Any idea how many?” 

“No.”

“ _Great._ ” Rose thought to herself as she popped up to fire a shot towards where she thought Sage had gone. More shots rang out from around and her shield sparked, the Red leader poking his head out from where he was hiding by a shipping container. They needed to end this before it got messier. “Vega see if you can get behind him. I’ll cover you.”

“Will do Commander.” Vega said while slamming a cryo clip into his rifle. 

Rose threw a burst of biotics to pull attention towards her and as Sage and the other Reds fired, saw her shield give another spark before it fizzled out. Quickly ducking back down, a stray bullet whizzed by her face and she winced. But there’d be time to worry about it later, right now she needed to focus on dealing with Sage and his followers.

Anna needed a gun. Her knife wasn’t going to cut it in the firefight and her biotics would only last so long. While Shepard was ordering Vega to go around their left, Anna focused on the ones to their right. Taking a breath, she powered up her biotics and charged across the gap between the pillars and where she’d gone for cover.

Coming to a halt, Anna moved quickly; throwing a shockwave towards the pair of Reds in front of her and picking up the pistol that had been thrown to the ground. Jamming in the thermal clip from earlier, she fired shots at each of them-letting the fire rounds finish them off.

Before she had a chance to breathe though, shots whizzed around her and Anna ducked behind a pillar, wishing not for the first time she had some kind of armor on. A quick check of the clip told her that half of it was gone and glancing around told her that she was the closest to Sage. 

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be Sage!” Anna shouted from her position while trying to keep track of where he was. “I’m sure the Commander’s in a good enough mood to let you get a fair deal.”

“Fuck that!” she heard Sage shout, followed by the sound of bullets hitting the other side of the pillar she was leaning against. Particles of stone sprayed all around her and Anna reacted automatically, trying to make herself as small a target as possible. “Especially if I have the chance to take you and your Alliance friends out!”

“Your decision!” Anna yelled, whipping around the pillar while firing where she thought the Red leader was. Sage appeared to her left and fired a few shots, the first one getting past the barrier she was slow in throwing up. 

Letting out a grunt while taking half a step back, Anna felt her biotics surge with the burst of adrenaline. The barrier flickered in response and Sage let out a laugh, “You were always slow with your biotics.”

Anna clenched her teeth at the jibe and pulled her biotics into her uninjured arm, prepared to throw a lance at him. But before she could act Vega spotted an opening and fired, catching Sage from behind and the cryo rounds freezing him mid-fall.

“He’s down!” Vega yelled while slowly approaching, wary even though no one could survive the hits as well as the freezing ice all over his body.

Anna slowly approached as well, biotics still charged while trying to ignore the burning pain in her shoulder. Movement out of the corner of her eye told her that Shepard was moving as well and they all met on the other side of the containers. Looking at Sage’s body as the cryo rounds slowly wore off, she felt a surge of relief. It was finally over.

Shepard cautiously toed the Red leader’s body to just make sure and when there was no reaction holstered her weapon. The silence was almost deafening but glancing at Ryder there was a look of relief. But they weren’t quite done yet. “Lets see if I can get C-Sec to send a squad down here, those barrels looked like they’re holding Red Sand. And I’m sure that Ryder would be happy to provide them with the names and place the rest of the crew like to hang out.”

Vega cast a glance towards Ryder and didn’t like how she was holding her wounded shoulder, “Mind if I start patching her up?”

Shepard nodded and pretended not to notice the quiet way Vega asked Ryder if she was hit anywhere else. Moving to give them the illusion of privacy, she pulled up her omni-tool and pressed the connection for C-Sec. It looked like it was going to be a long night.

\--  
“So what’s next?” Kaidan asked as he finished filling the ice bag and handed it to Rose. It had been nearing the early side of the night cycle when they all returned sporting minor wounds, but the way that Rose and Ryder looked told him that the Red leader had been dealt with.

“I talked to C-Sec about rounding up the rest of the gang.” Shepard said while gently pressing the ice to her swollen cheek. “Between the information we found about their smuggling operations and what Ryder provided that should be the last we hear about that particular Red gang.” 

“Speaking of, what about Ryder? I don’t see her staying here for the rest of the war.”

Rose shifted, not sure how tell Kaidan the idea she’d had during the conversation with C-Sec. “I vouched for her with C-Sec, that she was helpful in taking down the leader. I...also messaged Hackett to send me her Alliance jacket.”

Kaidan paused as he closed the refrigerator door and turned to see Rose set the ice pack down. “You did?” he asked, an idea as to why starting to form.

You should have seen the way she was fighting, Kaidan. She has promise.”

“And you want her to join the Normandy.”

“Am I that predictable?” Rose smiled while glancing over at Kaidan, a small part of her relieved that he wasn’t judging her that harshly for the idea. “What was it you called me after our first stop at the Citadel?”

“Patron Saint of Lost Causes.” Kaidan chuckled at the memory. Before serving on the Normandy, he’d heard about Commander Shepard and her penchant for championing anti-gang initiatives; no matter how many times they were shot down by UNAS or the Alliance. And most of her shore leaves had been spent helping at shelters in either Vancouver or Chicago.

“But that means you don’t give up easily. That’s what I love about you. You never let the whole ‘N7’ or ‘First Human Spectre’ go to you head. You always make time to help people, to try and make it just a little bit better for them.”

He then pressed a gentle kiss onto the top of head, letting her know how much he loved her without saying it. 

Rose shifted so she was fully facing him and opened her mouth as Kaidan continued to kiss her, feeling their biotics flare slightly with their heightened emotions. Letting him lift her up onto the counter, she silently thanked the stars for allowing her to meet and fall in love with Kaidan. Someone who saw past the smoke and mirrors and loved her for who she really was.

And right now all she wanted was to spend what little time they had left with him.


End file.
